Here's a wonderfully aesthetic PHANTOM AMETHYST crystal from the celebrated amethyst locality in the Gogoboseb Mountains, Brandberg Area, Erongo Region, Namibia. I love the amethyst from Brandberg for its gem clarity and rich purple color. Phantom specimens from this area are highly prized, as are the even rarer enhydro bubble and septered crystals. This is another treasure which we picked up at the East Coast Gem, Rock & Mineral Show this year.

The Brandberg mining area is in the Goboboseb Mountains, about 80 km from the town of Uis. This dry, hot, remote area is very challenging to mine, as it can take weeks for miners usiing hand tools to search for pockets which may yield only a few crystals. Today, good specimens are becoming increasingly difficult to find as the area has been heavily worked for so many years.